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Meet the my family of choice: Presenters for Poly Palooza Festival 2013

As soon as we decided to change our annual Tantra Palooza Festival to “Poly Palooza,” I was overwhelmed with resumes from DOZENS of high level Poly teachers from across the country, who all have something valuable to share. But how do I chose?

As I started thinking about it, I realized Teacher selection is almost as hard as partner selection. And then it occurred to me that I have very high standards for my partner selection. In fact, like me most of my partners ARE teachers.

So what if… instead of having a random cross section of teachers from across the country, we run the event as a family. The world is always asking practical questions about how it works in a poly family, so here’s an opportunity to invite poly people to live in an intentional poly family for 4 days as we co-teach panels, eat, work, play and perform together!

Here are some of the interactive panel discussions we will be leading:

How we do Poly

Free Love vs. Agreements

Tantra/Kink/Swinging

Gender differences

Into the Heart of Jealousy

Visioning the Future of Polyamory

Here is a list of the teachers/lovers who will be presenting:

Reid Mihalko

Michael McClure

Tahl Gruer

Diana Adams

Friar Tuck

Roxanne DePalma

Daniel

Keli Lalita

Tziporah

Chris

Cheri Reeder

and Kamala Devi

I’m having fun working on a diagram to show exactly how we are all ‘related’!

For all those who’ve been asking for a scholarship, I will be offering a new program for anyone having financial hardship who wants to help, and I will also have a deep discount for past particpants of Tantra Palooza available this month only.

Poly Palooza is a groundbreaking retreat where you will experience intimate connections with families that have vast experience successfully navigating complex polyamorus relationships. We are offering radical tools and transformative practices to access your full erotic expression within an immersive community where we dance, play, soak, study, work, eat, sleep and awaken together! You will develop deep friendships that will inspire and support you for a lifetime.

Reid Mihalko is a Sex relationship expert that helps adults create more self-esteem, self-confidence and greater health in relationships and sex lives using an inspiring mixture of humor and knowledge. Reid’s workshops and college lectures have been attended by close to 40,000 men and women, and he has appeared in media such as Oprah’s Our America With Lisa Ling on OWN, the Emmy award-winning talk show Montel, Dr. Phil’s The Doctors on CBS, Bravo’s Miss Advised, Fox News, in Newsweek, Seventeen, GQ, The Washington Post, and in thirteen countries and at least seven languages. www.ReidAboutSex.com

Michael McClure is a stand-up comedian, musician, actor and a co-founder of Tantra Theater. He has over 12 years of training in Tantra and 15 years practicing polyamory. He is a spokesman for honesty, sex positive communication and safe sex. A lifetime surfer and athlete, he leads men’s groups and can be found at http://www.EthicalStud.com. In addition to starring in Showtime’s Polyamory: Married and Dating, he has appeared on Dr. Drew, Ricki Lake, the Tyra Banks Show, Discovery Channel, Inside Edition and other international television productions. His environmental work has reduced global warming emissions by hundreds of tons using commercial lighting technologies and his ecological home has been featured on the GreenBuilt Tour. Michael is married to Kamala Devi and has about a dozen lovers and 6-year-old son who he spends a lot of time surfing and swimming with. Video Clips of his performance art can be found at www.TantraTheater.TV and his Stand Up comedy can be found at www.PolyamoryMichael.com.

Jennifer Gold has been married for 9 years and in an open marriage for 4. Jennifer is featured on Showtime’s Polyamory: Married and Dating, and has also been on the Dr. Drew show and performs in Tantra Theater. She loves to salsa dance, ride motorcycles and do Pilates.

Tahl Gruer was born in Zimbabwe and moved here in 1989. He has been Married to Jen for over 9 years and is in love with both Kamala Devi and Michael. He is an acupuncturist and herbalist and has been studying Chinese Medicine for 6 years. He has been practicing Tai Chi and meditation for over 13 years. Tahl has his own line of herbs and supplements including herbs to assist in maintaining and increasing sex drive. www.TahlGruer.com

Diana Adams is a lawyer and family mediator who is a nationally-recognized expert on polyamorous, LGBTQ, and nontraditional families. Diana founded Diana Adams Law and Mediation to provide legal advocacy and support for intentional family formation and respectful family dissolution in New York, supporting many poly families in co-parenting and negotiating family contracts. Diana teaches nationally at law schools and is a frequent media commentator on the changing nature of the American family. Diana lobbies in support of alternative families as a Board member of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance, and welcomes stories of alternative families with the Family Matters Project. Diana is also out as a queer, bisexual and polyamorous woman while thriving in the professional world and teaching at ivy league law schools. Diana co-founded and co-hosts New York’s monthly Polyamory Cocktails, the largest gathering in the world young adults interested in polyamory. Diana’s poly relationship has been profiled in the New York Times, Current TV and MTV’s award-winning docuseries True Life “I’m Polyamorous.” She will share her legal explanation for the changing American family, and her own poly story, in the upcoming documentary Monogamy and its Discontents by Tao Ruspoli. For more about Diana’s poly activism: www.FeministOutlaw.com. For more about her law and mediation practice: www.DianaAdamsLaw.net

Friar Tuck is an openly bi poly professional. His musical journey as a DJ began over 18 years ago in Baltimore, where he explored a wide range of genres, from jungle to trip hop, acid house to ambient, funky breaks to lounge. This mastery of many styles served him well after moving to LA, where he found many loving crowds both on the dance floor and in the chill room, building up a reputation as a master of wicked funk with eclectic taste and solid mixing skills. His move to Brooklyn in 2004 brought about a fresh opportunity to fuse West Coast funk and innovation with East Coast edge and grit. Get lost in the deep beats and layered grooves, only to find yourself in warm melody and catchy hooks. Feel the darkness, see the light, say your prayers, and get ready for something different! For mixes and information on upcoming shows, visit www.TheGoodFriar.com

Roxanne DePalma is a highly skilled and intuitive Holistic Health Practitioner/Yoga Instructor. She also teaches pole dancing, gives nutrition education, and supports others in the conversation of sex and relationship.

Daniel is a scientist, philosopher, and social visionary. Daniel is in a deep open relationship with Roxanne and has been connecting with the San Diego pod for over 5 years. He is the founder and director of a global strategy think tank working on new governance models for coordinating and optimizing positive endeavors across all sectors. He has is an evolutionary thinker with a diverse background in interdisciplinary science, complex systems management, psychology and personal development, human health and wellness, and strategic design and optimization. His driving motive is the development of new integrated global systems that make possible and support the highest quality of life for all.
He teaches integrated spirituality which is about cultivating a profound love-affair with reality. Seeking to ever-more-fully understand, love, and be of service to existence and all life.

Adam Paulman is a visionary. He has worked with others tirelessly over the past decade to nurture and grow what we in San Diego refer to as “the community.” Adam is also somewhat of a communication geek and has studied NVC, ZEGG forum and NLP. He believes that clear communication is one of the basic nutrients of love. This weekend you will experience him as space-holder, community organizer, teacher, coach and if you are really, really lucky you may schedule a private Tantsu session in the new year.

Keli Lalita is a Tantric educator and counselor who specializes in life and relationship coaching. She’s a solo poly advocate who’s been practicing polyamory and Tantra for over five years. Founder of the Goddess Open House Collective, a free weekly women’s support group, and CEO of a marketing company, Keli brings compassion, advanced communication and organizational skills, and a deep appreciation of the playful into everything she does. For more about Keli, visit www.TantricaWareness.com

Tziporah has over 16 years experience in the healing arts. As a Seminar Leader, Breath Work Trainer, Relationship, Intimacy & Sexuality Educator, & Cacao Shamaness, Tziporah has worked with over thousands worldwide into deep levels of transformation & personal discovery. She leads a life which promotes being in daily reverence & relationship to ALL of life. Tziporah has enjoyed her personal path in polyamory for over the past 6 years. She calls San Diego home & is passionate about supporting individuals and groups in developing deeper connections & empowerment in all areas of life, love, relationship & sexuality. www.BreatheInEcstasy.com and www.CacaoShamaness.com

Chris Luth is a Southern California based Tantra & Sensuality Educator, Master Tai Chi & Chi Gong instructor, founder of the Conscious Connection Institute and creator of the “Relationship Choice” tm workshop which explores principles & techniques for Polyamorous relating. Having been trained since his early teens, Chris draws upon more than 35 years experience in these fields to address vitally important aspects of human relating from an “ENERGETIC” standpoint. By using this background along with his experience in Relationship & Intimacy Coaching, he has created the “Energetics of Sensuality” tm workshop Series that assists people in discovering greater depth & comfort in the expression of their sensuality & sexuality. Chris has been teaching throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia & Australia for over 20 years and is a regularly featured presenter at conferences on Sexuality & Consciousness. More info can be found at http://www.ConsciousConnectionInstitute.com

Cheri Reeder is deeply focused on self inquiry of bliss and in exploration of the relationship evolution. Cheri is currently writing a book titled “The Smile on My Face”. http://www.TheSmileOnMyFace.com/Don’t miss Poly Palooza 2013:

About Kamala Devi

Kamala Devi is a nationally recognized speaker, author, mentor and polyamory activist who created the Beyond Monogamy program to help open minded people liberate their love lives. She has been successfully navigating open relationships for over 15, in an open marriage for 13 years and is a mother. Her family stars in Showtime’s hit docu-series, Polyamory: Married & Dating. Kamala Devi has recently been featured on Ricki Lake, Dr. Drew, Tyra Banks and the award winning documentary, Sex Magic. Kamala Devi is the founder of Tantra Palooza, San Diego Tantra Theater and Poly-Palooza. Her mission is to awaken healers, teachers and visionaries to becoming love leaders. http://www.KamalaDevi.com